


Thorns of the Eyes

by CactusPandah



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, F/F, Lesbian, Medusa - Freeform, Medusa and the Blind Woman, Thorns of the Eyes, Tragic Romance, based on a post, sophia - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-07 04:04:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17358590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CactusPandah/pseuds/CactusPandah
Summary: Medusa may not be the one we think she is.





	1. The Lion's Den

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing about Greek-mythology in my own way so please bear with me and i apologize if certain parts do feel lack luster, i'll lake up for them.

#  **The Lion's Den**

Humanity was nothing more than a plague that spat out anything it could shovel deep into its grotesque mouth. The more of them there were, the less beauty there would be in the lands. I know that even in our immortal world, our wars were gruesome, they were carried out in the most horrific ways you could ever imagine. We created this curse and placed it on the mortals to carry out until the end of time. They fight, they slaughter, lie, steal, cheat, and strip each other of purity in what seems to be a lifelong act of senseless violence. Kings against Kings, nations rising up against nations as if it were all some big game of chess...but wasn't that all it was? Yes, humanity was flawed but not just in the way it treats its own kind but how it views everything.

  
  


Years ago, before plagues, sicknesses and other beasts alike, I was born into a world. This world shared many memories of my time. My sisters, my family, my purpose of being here. I didn't always have this accursed name that struck fear into the hearts of woman and burned rage into the eyes of man. I was like you. Living, breathing, searching for love and searching for my own meaning. Medusa. A name that slips off my captors tongues. The type of name you hear in myths that sadly become true. Never trust someone that promises you a lifetime of happiness if it means to sell your mortality.

My bitterness lacks no faults, however, for I have a tale...a lie to spin to you. One day you will understand, and one day you will read of me with a smile and not the curious cruelty and disgust that my name has been branded on for years.

-

  
  


It was nearly noon as Medusa rose from her small cot in the back of her room. She shared this space with her sisters, for it was the only room left in the small hut of a home where they lived. Medusa's sisters, Sthenno and Euryale, were already gone leaving her to her usual tasks of the day. She gathered herself slowly, feeling the pains of their previous night out. The room became blindingly bright, and her gut felt as if someone lit a fire under it. Even if she was a young adult, she could still never out drink her sisters.

  
  


"There's a bucket by the foot of your bed if you need it." a voice from the doorway suddenly spoke. Medusa turned her head briefly to see her mother smirking at her mockingly in the doorway, while wipe a glass dish with a rag. Medusa opened her mouth in protest, but before she could speak, she launched herself at the bucket puking violently.

  
  


"Maybe next time you will heed my warnings next time I tell you to stay home. You know you are just a mortal kóri. I do not say this to destroy your spirits, but I would like to have three daughters and not two daughters and a corpse." her mother said while placing the dish down, and gently rubbing Medusa's back.

  
  


After Medusa gained her bearings, she spoke, her voice bit back with jealousy. "Why couldn't I be like them? It isn't fair. I get tired of walking in their shadows or being referred to as 'the mortal sister.’ I want a name for myself, and for others to see who I am-" she was abruptly cut off as her face returned to the bucket. Her mother could only smile sadly. She knew Medusa would never have the opportunity that her sisters had. What normal life Medusa even had was overlooked by how much greater her sisters were.

  
  


"I know asteri mu, but the Gods have chosen them for a reason. Perhaps one day your time will come. When it does just don't forget about your dear old mother." a small chuckle escaped her lips as Medusa finally drew her head back from the bucket. Her emerald eyes sparkled as if a thousand tiny stars escaped the milky way and fixated themselves in her eyes. Her skin bathed in the warm sunlight. Even sick to her stomach, Medusa has a beauty that outshined most woman of her age. She cleaned herself up and finally smiled back at her mother.

  
  


"I'll never forget you mother! I love you."

  
  


"Ke ego s'agapo." Her mother said while pushing the hair from her child's face. "I always will no matter what."

  
  


-

  
  


It all felt like a faulted memory in her mind now. "Love." Medusa scoffed to herself bitterly. Love wasn't what made her this  _ thing _ she was now. It was deception, a lie, and she would have revenge even if every mortal man and woman had to pay for their crimes and sins. She loomed over the marble statues surrounding her small piles of gold. Their horrified faces frozen in time forever.

  
  


"Love for greed is what caused your downfall. A sickness that you have been lifted from." she spoke to a foot soldier's broken marble body. Medusa had no interest in gold or riches, her only interest was to show the world how evil they really were. To risk death just to steal riches. Fools. Her snake-like body slithered over towards a head in the corner of the room, slowly and carefully picking it up.

  
  


"I wanted to be as they were...and for that I am curse. I am so sorry for what I've done to you. I can never bring you back, but I know that your love was true...your love for your own was my gift and I can never forget that." She heart became heavy as she placed the head back down and stared at it a moment longer uttering her final words.

  
  


_ "I love you mother." _

  
  



	2. Charming isn't it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sophia finds out some terrible news, but how will she handle it?

#  **Charming, isn’t it?**

  
“One, two, three. One, two, three. One, tw- a chair?”   
  
“Yes very good, you are certainly getting a hang of this quite easily Zoe.”    
  
The two women took a seat across from one another. Zoe was only a child, but her skills in echolocating were getting better each week. She was a natural with her staff already and the more they worked together, the more she felt confident in her own skin.    
  
“How long did it take you to...well... cope with this?” Zoe asked while setting her staff to her side. The space between them was far enough apart, but even from that question Zoe could feel her mentor straighten up.    
  
“Sorry if that was too pers-”   
  
“Years.” The woman said straightforwardly. “I knew I was different ever since I was a mere child. I just learned to look past my own difference to figure out who I was.”    
  
A small smile crossed the woman’s gentle lips as she held her head backwards towards the sun feeling the sunlight on her skin.    
  
“Sophia has taken care of me better than I can even take care of her.” A chuckle was heard from the other side of the room from an older man. His voice was deep and rough, but the hint of joy in his voice was enough to make the smile on Sophia’s face grow bigger.    
  
“Well someone had to! You were a horrible cook.” Sophia teased.    
  
“I’m more of a carpenter than I am a cook.” He said back, cracking a big grin and turning his attention to Zoe who sat quietly listening. “Believe me little one, you are in the best hands. Sophia learned to teach herself many talents before she could even walk with that cane.”    
  
Zoe smiled, she knew it had to be true. She had heard Sophia singing out on the balcony of the royal palace and it was enough to even stop the horses in the area from trotting to their destination. The townspeople loved Sophia and loved her even more when she sang for them. Along with her voice, she was an amazing dancer. People have described her as a wonder to behold. Zoe wished she could see what it was like, but Sophia always told her it wasn’t about seeing it was about feeling. Sometimes she could imagine how Sophia looked on those stages performing her dances for a captivated audience.    
  
“Maybe one day she can teach me to dance as she does.” Zoe finally spoke. 

“That’ll be the day. If she teaches you, then perhaps she can teach you to cook as well. It is a good skill to have.” The man spoke while adjusting his glasses.    
  
“Orrin, on that day I will teach you also. It would be nice to have someone else prepare the food for a change.” Sophia said smiling back at Orrin and gathering herself from her chair.    
  
“Speaking of food, I believe our lesson is concluded for the day. Zoe you have done exceptionally and I am very proud of you.”    
  
Sophia helped Zoe from her seat and out of her home. When she returned she turned towards Orrin.    
  
“I still don’t understand how you do it.” He spoke.    
  
“I can feel your energy. Your heart beat. Everything surrounding you has a sound that echoes and I can feel it all.” Sophia spoke in a “matter-of-fact” tone.    
She didn’t mean it to sound rude, but after years of feeling her way through the dark she learned to just feel what surrounded her through her own ears.    
  
“What brings you here anyway, are you here to finally fix this wobbly table?” she laughed as she made her way to the kitchen to prepare supper.    
  
“No. I bear bad news and you know I wouldn’t come during your lessons if it wasn’t this important.” Orrin said, dropping his head. He couldn’t read the expression on Sophia’s face. She was his best friend and he wanted nothing more than to make her happy in anyway he could, but today something was different and he needed her to prepare for it.    
  
“There was another sighting...in the town just over the ridge.”    
  
“How many?” she spoke bitterly.    
  
“What?” Orrin asked with a puzzled look at her response. He wasn’t expecting such a brash answer and so fast.    
  
“How many...are dead.” She responded now gritting her teeth angrily.    
  
There was a long silence. The need to tell her pressured him, it killed him to know that it was even someone she knew that was attacked but he knew Sophia. She was a strong woman and news such as this would earn him a simple shrug or nod.    
  
He cleared his throat that had suddenly become uncomfortably tight.   
  
“It was your former student...Agata.”    
  
“Was it the same cause of death?”    
  
“Yes. Turned to complete stone. Her mother nearly didn’t escape.” Orrin said solemnly.    
  
“Shame. She had a beautiful voice, and she was just getting better.” Sophia said with a cold shrug and returned to chopping carrots into a stew.    
  
“Sophia, how can you be so-” Orrin began but became quiet as Sophia threw the knife down, her head snapping in the direction of his voice. Her face was cold and contorted in the angriest face he had ever seen her muster. Her voice was calm yet venomous.    
  
“Be so what Orrin? Cruel? Cold-hearted? You and I both know what she did to get herself in that sort of trouble. She stole from my family and  _ she  _ is the reason for my father being sick when she poisoned him!” Sophia paused to catch her breath.    
  
“But we don’t know it was her...and if you hated her so much why would you give her singing lessons?” Orrin asked softly, this time afraid of angering his friend any further.    
  
“I  _ do  _ know it was her. I gave her lessons because I needed confirmation that it was her. I needed to know that she was the one who did it. I offered her singing lessons in order to hear her voice, to know if it was her that was with him that night and when I heard her singing that very same song I heard her sing down the alleyway as I listened from my balcony, I  _ knew  _ it was her. I didn’t plan for her death, but whatever she did to die was her own fault. She always wanted to be a work of art and admired, we might as well put her body on show for all to see.”    
  
Sophia’s words sunk into Orrin’s heart. He knew that she was only angry because her father was the last person she had left and with him gone, her home felt too empty, too sad. He knew she wouldn’t have plotted murder, but there was something she wasn’t telling him and he needed to know just in case she needed an alibi if the enforcers were to show up on her doorstep and question her whereabouts. Everyone knew Sophia, they all knew that she was a great and kind hearted person, but everyone also knew of what happened to her father and that would put her on the suspect’s list for sure.    
  
“Before I told you of the news, it felt as though you already had a hunch of what happened. How did you know Sophia?” This time he prepared himself just in case she decided to throw the knife at him for his question. 

“A few nights ago, I prayed to the Gods. I told them that my father wasn’t deserving of such cruelty and unjust acts. I begged for them to take care of her. To avenge my father’s death and robbery. That night I heard someone or something outside of my home. There was a loud thud and then nothing. I lied awake the entire night waiting for them to return or some sign that my prayers were heard. I got nothing. Nothing at all, until today.”    
  
Sophia finished placing the rest of the vegetables into the stew and lend against the counter top sensing the uneasiness in Orrin’s energy. 

 

“Sophia I-”    
  
“Don’t. I am fine and I will be fine knowing my father’s murderer has been dealt with. You are a good friend Orrin, but there has to come a day that I can finally live without having everything taken from me every time.”    
  
Orrin only nodded. He could understand why she felt so strongly about this. He just couldn’t stop thinking of her words. What if it wasn’t a Gods’ kill? What if someone heard her pray out for the head of her father’s murderer and decided to act upon it to only turn up later and pin it on her or worse, keep her under their thumb. He trusted her, but many of the folks around here weren’t as kind and had many ill-intentions if it meant getting payment, and Sophia was a beautiful woman. Many men have tried all they could to get her attention and be the lucky man to have her.    
  
“I understand Phi Phi.” He finally spoke. “Just promise me you will be cautious. I worry for the next person to cross you, they may wake up to Hades and a knife in their chest.”    
  
Sophia chuckled lightly and nodded.    
  
“I will be careful, now please come and have supper I know you haven’t eaten and maybe afterwards you can fix the table.”    
  
“That’s a deal.”

  
  


As the two sat for supper the atmosphere of the night shifted along into a light happy leisure but not all would be well for a great evil lurked the shadows of the town, possessed with the obsession to fulfill its hunger and it would not stop until it had what its heart desired. 

 

_ Your prayers have been answered my dear, but there will be a price to bear soon.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 5 am and I couldn't sleep so I figured why not shovel out another chapter.


	3. No Simple Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A legend is born, but not at her own means.

The town had been bustling for days now over its annual festival, it was an important event because at the very end there would be a great tribute and if you were lucky enough you could have one wish granted. Each year was bigger than the next and finally Medusa was old enough to attend. 

Medusa began to waltz around her room in a dress her mother had made her a week before the big event. She could not contain her excitement and joy, and maybe just maybe she would get her wish granted, that is if she becomes the victor. The skies were clear and the day felt that the Gods themselves were shining down on her, she didn’t want to curse herself by jinxing it but she had a feeling things were going to be great. 

As the sun set on the day, Medusa awaited her sisters outside of their home. They were going to escort her into the festival because she was still too young in her mother’s eyes to go all on her own. Medusa was absolutely okay with this because the thought of being surrounded by strangers and people in in their best wears made her nervous. She didn’t know many people since she lived in her sisters’ shadows so the more she thought of the festival, the worse her nerves had gotten. 

Hours past and there was still no sign of her sisters. She began to grow impatient and angry. Why did they always neglect her? Just because she was the youngest didn’t mean she deserved this. Just because she didn’t have powers like them didn’t mean she should be forgotten or left behind. It was getting ridiculous! She had had enough of this, and without a final thought she snuck off as her mother prepared dinner in the kitchen for herself and walked down the back path towards the festival. 

“What’s the point of having sisters if they just treat you like you don’t exist.” she grumbled to herself as she stormed into the festival gates of the King’s palace. Her eyes lifted to the sight of dozens of people all dancing merrily and drinking. The air smelled of amazing foods that made her wince at the growls of her stomach. She hadn’t eaten because she wanted to wait and try all the food of the festival, but her wait caused her to completely forget about her stomach. As she entered past wandering Royal Guard eyes and a few servants, Medusa found herself in the center walk of the party. She smiled watching at this unfamiliar sight. She was finally here and it only took years of waiting to be a part of it. She explored every vendor and tried every food that she could get her hands on. She was surprised by the taste and textures of each pallet she tried and every dish, dare she utter the words herself, tasted better than her own mother’s cooking. 

With a full belly, Medusa was ready once more to explore all that the festival had to offer. She was excited to finally witness some of the famous plays and even hear music being played. There was a commotion, however, that didn’t sound like normal festival sounds. Curious, Medusa made her way through the crowd hoping to see her first drunken fight, or perhaps it was a simple intellectual argument that became a little more heated. To her dismay it was neither of those things but instead it was a drunken fool aggressively tugging on one of the servants. From her view it seemed that the servant accidentally spilled wine on the man, and in his already drunken state, he wasn’t taking this gesture lightly. 

“Now look what you’ve done! Wasting perfectly good wine and you don’t even have the decency to clean properly! What is wrong with your head?” The man began to shout causing more heads to turn from passerbyers. Medusa didn’t like the way this man was treating this woman, even if she was a servant, they had to have been about the same age. She pushed her way towards the young girl and ripped the girl’s arm from the man’s grasp leaving him baffled. 

“I think you’ve had enough sir.” Medusa spat at him attempting to mask her own fear of being punished by a guard. 

The old man’s eyes burned with anger but before he could speak he yanked the jar of wine from the servant girl’s arms and walked away.  
Medusa beamed feeling accomplished that she stopped the event from escalating further, but she realized all eyes were on her now as a small girl clung to her dress crying softly. 

“Hey it is okay now, that old fool is gone now.” she whispered while escorting them both away to a place with less observant eyes. She noticed that the girl struggled to walk without nearly crushing Medusa’s hand. The servant girl had calmed down, but there was just something different about her. 

The two of them found a small seat in a corner and medusa waited for the girl to say something. She hadn’t ever had to speak to someone before unless it was about a job or errand to run, so her social skills were a little...nonexistent. 

“T-thank you for your help. I didn’t mean to spill the wine, I just didn’t see him there and…” the girl’s voice trailed on as she took a small huff of air. 

Medusa felt that she should at least get a name to go with this woman’s face. She was very beautiful, and it wasn’t an average beauty like the ones you see engraved in marble and stone, but it was a beauty that made her feel warm inside. 

“Oh, it was nothing. No one deserves that sort of treatment. My name is Medusa, I was supposed to be here with my older sisters but as usual they ditched me.” Medusa stretched out a hand to the woman, but even though she was looking straight at her it didn’t even seem to register to her, as if Medusa herself weren’t even there. 

“Sophia. My name is Sophia.” the girl spoke as a small curved smile showed up on her lips. 

“Well Sophia, aren’t you going to shake my hand?” Medusa asked puzzled. 

Sophia seemed startled again as if the realization had just hit her that she didn’t see Medusa’s clearly outstretched hand. The girl swallowed and her smile turned into a frown once more. 

“I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed reaching clumsy for Medusa’s hand. “I didn’t see it there. I’m still working on interacting with others, I’m blind so I miss things that many people would be able to see.” she explained. 

Now Medusa felt bad, maybe that’s why she was so panicked at the strange man screaming at her. She didn’t see him and with all of the noises and people around it had to be hard for her to even feel where he was. 

“That is fine! My apologies for not knowing.” Medusa spoke up, nearly shouting it. She was nervous and her nerves were getting worse now that she was alone with someone that for once didn’t see her as a shadow. As the thought faded, she noticed that the girl was still holding her hand and was very silent. There was a small smile on her face and in the moonlight, Medusa could see the Blue-grey tint of her eyes and her pink lips. There was a small scar over her nose and eyes that seemed to have faded with time. Her hands were very soft and gentle. She didn’t want to let go of this girl knowing that she had just protected her and a wave of happiness settled over her. Maybe this could be her new friend. She could always stop by on her errand runs to see Sophia if she wasn’t too terribly busy. The thought made her even more excited that she didn’t even notice an older man stop by their table. 

“Sophia you are needed in the King’s halls.” the man said. His voice was smooth and low, and from the way he spoke to her it didn’t seem like it was bad news. Medusa let go of the girl’s hand unwillingly as Sophia got up. 

“Wait! Can I see you, I mean can I come by sometime and talk again?” Medusa felt a rush of heat from her embarrassment of a statement. The girls smiled wider and pulled out a small ribbon from her hair giving it to Medusa. It was a ribbon with green and blue threads woven together in an intricate pattern. It smelled amazingly and just holding this trinket made her feel responsible for cherishing it. 

“Thank you again for saving me. As a token of my appreciation I would like you to keep this. Come back to visit me in a week’s time.” with small curtsey Sophia scurried off. 

Medusa pocketed the ribbon and began to get up and leave but the man blocked her path. 

“You seem to be seeking something my child.” The man spoke ominously. 

She didn’t feel uncomfortable around this man but something just felt different about him. Mystical almost. 

“Yes, I’m seeking my older sisters but they don’t seem to be here.” Medusa said feeling the anger creep back at her sisters now that her lovely distraction was gone. 

“No child, you seek more. I see it in your eyes. You want to be like them. Like the powerfuls. People come to these festivals because they seek something, some the finest wines, others intellect, but you are like many others. You seek a purpose, a power to wield and show that you can truly be someone.” 

Medusa hated how spot on this man was about her own wants and life. She simply nodded which brought an eager smile to the man’s face. He took one of her hands and guided her towards a room. Medusa could hear her heart pounding in her chest, she wasn’t sure where she was being taken but all she knew was she was terrified now more than ever. 

“Be calm child.” He sat her down at a table and across from her he took a seat himself. “If you wish to own power I must tell you of myself. I am no simple man, my price is no simple price. I possess a power that can give you all that you wish, but it will cost you.” 

The man seemed harmless, his words were true however, for he did not seem like a simple man at all. Medusa wanted nothing more than to become who she was meant to be. She wanted to become greater than just a shadow. 

“What will it cost?” she finally asked the man. It was as if he had heard this same question a thousand years at a time. 

“Your love.” he simply said. “In order for you to get your power you must fall in love with me for one week. If you can do so you will harbor the power of the Gods within your soul.” 

This man must be a lunatic, she thought. There was no way she would ever fall in love with a man she just met. She paused at that thought. But had she not just felt a tug at her heart from seeing Sophia? And she only had to fall in love with this man for a week. 

“I only have to fall in love for a week?” she asked skeptical of his offer. He nodded and this became all the confirmation she would need.  
The man pulled out a small parchment of paper, it had a lot of writing on it but before she had the chance to glance over it he rolled it up and within an instant it vanished into smoke. 

“The deal has been made. One week and you will get as you seek. If you break the deal then you will face an ordeal. Heed this warning.” The candles of the room swarmed and blew out. She was left in the dark for only a moment until they relit themselves. What had she just done?  
She gathered herself and left the room in a panic bumping into party-goers along the way. As she made for the exit there stood her sisters laughing drunkenly and shouting. 

“I always seem to find you all in the same state don’t I?” Medusa shouted, her anger boiling. 

“There she is!” Sthenno sang in a slurred tone walking over to hug Medusa.  
Medusa pushed her away shaking her head at her sisters.  
“You all are such a waste! Look at you, you all have such a gift and a sister that looks up to you but you can’t even look down on your sister long enough to see how much she hurts! You always leave, you always come home drunk or try to outshine me in everything I do.” Medusa couldn’t control her anger now. 

Euryale frowned and a flash of anger crossed her eyes. She went to grab Medusa but something even the guards couldn’t explain. Medusa grabbed her sister’s arm and tossed her aside like she weighed nothing. Overcome with feelings and emotions, Medusa was in shock and awe at this power. She liked it, she felt stronger than she ever did. Maybe the man wasn’t as bad as he was if he could work his magic this quickly. Sthenno ran over to gather their sister off the ground yelling out slurs at their little sister, but Medusa didn’t care she simply walked off muttering. 

“Soon there will be a new powerful being in the household, and I will do all the things both of you wouldn’t do for me.” Medusa’s hair darkened and her form seemed to shift as she walked up the path.  
When she looked back only a pair of two yellow snake-like eyes remained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for it taking so long to drop a new chapter, life's been crazy to a point I haven't been able to sit and write things out. i wanted to have Medusa's lore written out so you can see why she gets so angry with her sisters.


End file.
